Funnily, Karan Johar describes "Kaal" as his homage to Ram Gopal Varma.

Shot in the Jim Corbett Wildlife Sanctuary - a la Ram Gopal Varma's "Jungle" - the film is the best-looking thriller in recent times.

To be released Friday, "Kaal" is bound to get a solid audience with its jungle ambience and glossy packaging of spook and sensuality.

The film's debutant director Soham Shah learnt filmmaking in Ram Gopal Varma's production house. But he chose to make this Ram Gopal Varma-kind-of-thriller for co-producers Karan Johar and Shah Rukh Khan.

And apart from an impressive star cast of Ajay Devgan, Vivek Oberoi, John Abraham, Lara Dutta and Esha Deol, "Kaal" has King Khan whooping it up for his special item number with Malaika Arora - his second, after the impressive "Ishq kameena" with Aishwarya Rai in "Shakti".

But to enjoy this, one must get to the theatres on time.

Like Ram Gopal Varma's "Company", which featured Urmila Matondkar only in the credit titles, Shah Rukh is only there for the preliminary ritual. From then, it's up to the rest of the glamorous star gallery.

But distributors are still optimistic.

"Horror films, if well made, always get a good opening, though they don't have much of a repeat value. However the songs in "Kaal" are a rage. The dances should draw the audience in," said Patna exhibitor Roshan Singh.

Besides, "Kaal" hardly faces any competition. Two long-delayed films, "Shabnam Mausi" and "Khullam Khulla Pyar", are set for release this week.

Yogeshwar Bhardwaj's "Shabnam Mausi" is the true-life story of a eunuch-politician from Maharashtra who has almost become a folk legend among her community.

Talented actor Ashutosh Rana, who hasn't had much luck as a leading man in disastrous film like "Chot" and "Ansh", hopes to change his fortunes by playing this unusual character.

And while Rana is playing a politician, politician-actor Govinda is all set to do another ribald comic act in Harmesh Malhotra's "Khullam Khulla Pyar".

The long-forgotten film has been lying in the can for ages.

Five years ago, Govinda had done a farce called "Ankhiyon Se Goli Maare" with Raveena Tandon for the same director. The film proved a surprise success in Bihar.

But "Khullam Khulla Pyar" would be lucky to get an audience even in Bihar. And leading actress Preity Zinta, this film can prove nothing short of an embarrassment at a time she's building a classy repertoire for herself.

So, "Kaal" has the market clear to capture. And after the favourable response to last week's "Waqt - The Race Against Time", the film should ideally have no difficulty in sailing through the box office.